All About Mary...

"I view my work as a hands-on meditation, so my love and spirit go into the cloth. I love what I do. My father taught me to work hard and my mother showed me beauty. In a very real sense, this is my way of honoring them" - Tye Dye Mary

Originally from Rochester, New York, Mary Patricia Deprez (Tye Dye Mary®) moved to Middle Tennessee in 1972. Already a Certified Nursing Assistant and graphic artist, in 1979 she began to study the bound resist art medium on The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee.

She moved to Nashville soon after and became a master baker (at The Grateful Breadbox Bakery), where after long hours of baking she continued to practice the bound resist medium intensively.

In 1981 Mary's daughter Coral was born, and the following year they moved to a 33-acre farm in historic Primm Springs, located in rural Hickman County about an hour from Nashville.

Mary and her daughter, Coral

Mary - 1972

It was during this time that Mary's study and practice of tie-dye art intensified, and her reputation as a fabric artist was established.

When a local band, African Dreamland, commissioned her to design and produce backdrops for their concerts and wardrobe for their video, "Apartheid," her following and recognition grew.

Her fans, including African Dreamland percussionist Daryl Rose, began calling her "Tye Dye Mary," and in 1986 she began signing that name on all of her colorful creations.

Tye Dye Mary is known internationally for her expertise and precision, her colors are brilliant and permanent; patterns consistent and intricate; whites are clear and shirts are preshrunk 100% cotton.Tye Dye Mary's wearable art has been sold internationally and proudly worn from Tennessee, U.S.A., across the world to the Great Wall of China and the native villages of Kenya, Africa.

Additionally, her clothing designs have been purchased by popular music stars Alan Jackson, Naomi Judd and Wynonna Judd, Ronnie Milsap, Rosanne Cash, T. Graham Brown and Melissa Etheridge, and have also appeared on the television hit series China Beach.

Since 1987, Mary has participated in a number of juried art shows, such as the Tennessee Crafts Fair in Nashville, Tennessee; Waterside in Louisville, Kentucky; the Red River Revel in Shreveport, Louisiana; and the Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain, Georgia (rated by Sunshine Artists magazine as the top arts and crafts festival in the U.S.).

In 1987, she won the booth award at Waterside; in 1993, she was selected for the "Best of Waterside" crafts exhibition.

Also in 1993, Mary was one of the American artisans invited by President and Mrs. Clinton to submit a specially designed Christmas ornament for the White House Christmas tree as part of the "Year of American Craft."

The mid 90's brought Tye Dye Mary's involvement with Incentive Publications of Nashville, TN in supplying tie-dye art for covers of the Basic Not Boring series of teachers' workbooks.

And in early 2000, a whole Tye Dye Mary® stationery product line from C. R. Gibson Gifts in their Kids Kollection catalogue was made available to upscale bookstores and shops across the U.S.A.

In 2001 Mary had the opportunity to work with Alan Jackson's wardrobe specialist on some custom shirts using some kona cotton yardage that she had dyed. The material was shipped to a design firm in L.A. where traditionally styled western wear shirts where sewn for Mr. Jackson which he wore them all summer as he toured with George Strait.

Mary was thrilled and deeply humbled when Alan Jackson sang the song he wrote for 9-11 titled "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)", because he was wearing a shirt with the cloth she had dyed. Starting in 2004, Mary has been vending at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN.

In 2005, when Wynonna Judd taped a concert, she was wearing a garment made from Velvet that Mary dyed. It was also on the cover of the DVD!

Mary also attends regional arts and crafts shows and fulfills custom orders for businesses and individuals. She supplies tour shirts for well-known bands and team shirts for schools and clubs all over the United States.

Mary's art has been displayed in 29 consecutive Spring Tennessee Craft Fairs held by Tennessee Craft, where happy customers stand in line to purchase armloads of their chosen selections.

Mary has always seen her primary responsibility as raising her beautiful daughter Coral, who graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Coral is also Mary's primary manager/organizer for staffing at craft fairs.

Besides her full-time work week devoted to the tie-dye art, Mary also finds time in her organic garden on her peaceful Primm Springs farm.